


Hold Him High

by Dark_Jonerys



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: AU, F/M, Gunslingers, Old West, Outlaws, Pregnant Daenerys, Rattlesnake Jake - Freeform, Southern Accent Jon, Wild West, dadvos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-05
Updated: 2019-04-05
Packaged: 2020-01-05 02:23:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18356663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dark_Jonerys/pseuds/Dark_Jonerys
Summary: It's hard drifting on the road when you're running from something.





	Hold Him High

**Author's Note:**

> No one:
> 
> Absolutely no one:
> 
> I promise you, no one:
> 
> Me: You know what this fandom needs? A bit of Jonerys in the wild west!

 

Two lone riders rode ahead of a traveling caravan. A man long into his years along with a much younger. The sun was beginning to set into the horizon, but both riders pushed along into the dying day. Earlier through their travel, the winds had kicked up an unusually strong dust storm, causing the entire party to cover themselves with cloths so as to protect themselves from the flying dirt and debris. The women and children took shelter within the covered wagons while the men rode atop their horses, susceptible to the storm.

The dust had settled a few hours ago, but the two riders ahead still wore each of their respective bandanas up to the brim of their nose. Both men rode with caution as they approached the nearing pass between two mountain sides. It was the perfect site for an ambush.

“Hol’ up a bit, Jon. I’ll ride on ahead” The older man said to the younger rider.

Silence was all that filled the air, but the slight slowing of the companion’s horse was enough indication for the older man to spur his own ahead. The younger rider known as Jon awaited his old friend to check whether the coast was clear and give the signal for the caravan to keep riding on ahead. It was during this period that another rider from the same caravan took the liberty to ride up alongside Jon.

“Where’d Davos go on up to? He take point?”

Gendry Waters. A bastard son from a major businessman up in the Stormlands. His father had coupled himself with a bottle of whiskey and took the enjoyment of visiting a saloon, filled with women, up in the crownlands. He was a good kid, in Jon’s eyes, but a bit of a dimwit if he was being completely honest.

“Yeah” Jon replied with a burred down northern accent.

Gendry chuckled as he looked down to his stirrups.

“God damn it to hell, I forget how much of a mute you usually are Snow. Still, I enjoy that about you at times. You don’t go around yappin’ too much. Not like that Tormund riding with us.”

Jon grunted in response.

“Still. It’s actually nice that I caught you lone just now. I was in the mood for talkin’, if that’s right by you.”

The rider, known as Jon, finally reached to his face to pull down the black and dusted bandana. Both young men rode in silence until the older of the two turned to the younger.

“Now you know I ain’t in much mood for a talkin’, Waters. ‘Specially not with you. Now, I know what’s on your mind boy and I ain’t much too happy with it. But what’s that matter? My opinion ain’t counted much with my sister these past few months.”

Gendry nodded a bit, causing ire and frustration in the older man.

“Listen” Gendry said “I know you don’t think too much of me Jon, but I can take care of your sister.”

Jon scoffed.

“I can!”

“Waters” Jon interrupted. “I think enough of you. You’re a good kid, but you’re a goddamned idiot at times.”

Gendry flushed red with embarrassment and a tinge of anger.

“Who you calling a kid, Snow? I ain’t much younger than you. Only bout a year yonder separates us.”

“Yeah? And still an idiot. Like that job down in Yronwood. We were supposed to hit that damn train and get the hell out with the money! But you just had to screw up them charges in the bombs. Now we’re leavin’ this damn waste of a desert with little food, little water and no money. Nice one Waters. I can see my sister is in safe hands.”

Perhaps he was being harsh with the kid, but the boy was the reason as to why they were fleeing Dorne and back into the reach. They had been riding all day with the law on their tails, but they had seemingly lost them a while back. Now their only enemy was thirst and hunger. Great. Something Jon couldn’t solve with his revolver.

Gendry sighed as he made to open his mouth for another conversation starter but unfortunately the man riding beside him was in no mood for the kid’s presence.

“Waters” Jon cut in abruptly “I suggest you go on and get back with the caravan ‘fore I pull out this colt on my hip, here, and use you for some target practice.”

Gendry felt his blood run cold as he scrambled with the reigns of his horse to lead it back by the pack where he was supposed to be anyways. Jon only shook his head with ire in his grey eyes as he spurred his waning horse forward. He hadn’t seen Davos for a good while counting, he wondered where the old coot had ridden off to. Jon was in half a mind to ride up and into the pass but instead decided to wait a few minutes.

Just as Jon’s patience was beginning to wear thin, Davos came riding back on his appaloosa horse. Jon would’ve been satisfied with safe passage but it seemed his friend had found something more, if his smile was any given indication. Still, Jon had to make sure.

“All clear up there Davos?”

“Clear? Oh yeah. Plus, I found a nice little spot where we can set up camp.”

Still Davos grin had not faltered from his face with giving that info.

“What else’d you find up there, old man?”

“Not much. Just a creek with some live fish in it, thas’ all.”

“You’re kiddin’? Well I’ll be damned, that jus might be the luck we need after this shit day. Go on back and tell the others, I’ll go navigate a bit.”

Davos’ news was met with the expected response, relief and happiness. Jon went further past the “creek” that Davos had claimed he had seen. Looked more like a damn brook but Jon would give the man the benefit of the doubt. It was dark after all. Once he deemed that it was safe enough, with no other inhabitants, Jon rode his horse back to the campsite. The group was beginning to tidy up the last of the tents and Samwell, the camp cook, had just finished setting up the firepit. Gendry and Arya, his little sister, were currently in hold of fishing poles to head on down to the brook. Jon thought he saw a few catfish down in there. Tormund was scrambling with two fishing poles as he made his intentions clear when he tried to make eye contact with Brienne, the only woman in the entire group capable enough to handle herself around both pistol and rifle. She also happened to be avoiding her pursuer’s gaze with determination.

Jon shook his head with a smile as he made his way to the familiar tent he had grown with the past few months. He could see a silhouette illuminated by a lamp, and he knew right then and there who currently occupied it. It was no secret that Jon had found himself a girl he had found himself sweet on. And it just so happened that the girl had taken a kindness to him as well. A kindness enough to follow him all across the country from the safety of her home and into the dangers of the current world. She was partly the reason they had fled the crownlands, where they picked up Gendry, and into Dorne.

You see, someone like Jon and his girl were never supposed to mix. Jon was lowborn. A well respected man’s son, but not legitimate in the eyes of society. Something his stepmother never let him forget. He supposed the woman was pleased when Jon went off and joined an outlaw group, but that was a long time ago. Whatever happiness the woman felt was gone when Jon returned a year later only to make off again. With her daughter this time. His sister had always nipped at his heels from the moment she could walk. They had done almost everything together. They went fishing together. They went riding together. Jon had even taught her how to use a pistol when she had turned 8 years old. He shouldn’t have been surprised when he came back at 19, two pistols on his hips with nothing but stories of his old gang. Of course she’d sneak off with her own horse and followed him as he left. He should’ve sent her back. Maybe then she wouldn’t be stuck with some lughead like Gendry Waters. But at the moment, giving Catelyn Stark one last “screw you” was too good of a deal to pass up. That’s how they travelled. Brother and Sister holding up with a few crews here and there for four years. Then they met Jake. The fastest draw in the entire west. Jon and Arya had met Jake just outside the city of Castamere, where they were planning a minimal robbery. Jon didn’t remember how things had happened, but they had ended up joining and riding with Jake all the way to Blackwater, a town outside the city of King’s Landing.

Long story short, the job went to shit. Well, that wasn’t the exact truth to it, but Jon and Arya had ended up joining a group of drifters forgotten in the world and made their way down south. The only problem was that Arya following him secretly all those years ago wouldn’t be the last time. They didn’t realize it until they were a safe few miles away from Blackwater and King’s Landing that Arya noticed a lone rider on a pale while horse following them. When Jon had turned his head around, his stomach filled with dread and…happiness?... as he knew who rode towards them.

He was brought out of his musings when he entered the flap of his tent.

“Jon?”

Sure enough, his woman was sitting right in the tent that they both shared. She looked at him with same brightness as she had when they had met just a year ago. The same brightness when he had ridden up to her as she followed them outside of Blackwater. And the same brightness when they said their vows in the town of Joytown, a town surrounding the famous Tower of Joy; hence the name. They had only been travelling for a few months when they decided to marry hastily as soon as they reached the civilized town. A good look at his wife would explain the reason. The two could not keep their hands of each other for the life of them and the result was an expecting but still beautiful woman.

“It’s me darlin’. You holdin’ up just fine?” He asked her with his soft but burred accent she liked.

She looked at him with those bright violet eyes of hers as she smiled her perfect smile at him.

“Yeah, I’m doing good. Our little boy is getting a little restless though, he won’t stop kicking me” she said as she placed a hand on her belly with a pout on her face.

Jon only smiled as sat himself down beside her. She yelped as Jon pulled her into his lap, pressing her back into his chest as he placed his own firm hand over her own; trying to feel the kicks his wife kept complaining about.

“How do you know?”

She looked at him with a quirked brow.

“What? That our son is kicking me? I think I can tell when our boy is getting restless Jon.”

He snorted.

“Not that, darlin’. How do you know it’s a boy? Could be a little girl. With that silver-golden hair of yours. Maybe my grey eyes.”

His wife angled herself on his lap to loop an arm over her husband’s head as she caressed his cheek with her free hand.

“That’s a good description honey, but I _know_ we have ourselves a son. Call it…a mother’s intuition.”

He smiled up at her before leaning in to give her a small peck on her lips.

“Well alright then, Daenerys Snow” Jon said huskily. “Looks like we got ourselves a little boy.”

They leaned into each other for a small chaste kiss, but they usually never ended there. Jon and Daenerys’ kisses always turned passionate and on the brink of night fill with love and pleasure. Those nights had stopped every since she had begun to fully show, Jon not wanting to risk anything during their pregnancy. It seemed as if today would be no different as Jon eventually broke their passionate kiss to instead grab one of his revolvers, fully intended on giving it a good cleaning to take his mind off of things. This only seemed to spark a scowl on his wife’s face.

“Really? You’re going to clean your revolver right here?”

Jon simply looked at her with amusement in his eyes.

“Tell me darlin’” he said “why is it that you found yourself fallin’ in love with a gunslinger when you detest my guns so much?”

She looked at him with narrowed eyes.

“Maybe it isn’t love but obsession, Jon Snow. I hear that women get attached to the men that take their purity. Maybe that’s why women get hitched down so quickly.”

He snickered as he holstered his revolver once more.

“You should put that on your headstone, sweetheart. “Daenerys Targaryen. The Woman that Hitched Herself to the First Man that took her Purity”. Would make for a nice remembrance, don’t’cha think?”

“I think it would” she said. She then placed a finger to her chin as she looked up in mock thinking. “Though, maybe it might be that you’re such a gentleman outdoors and can pull my hair inside and away from prying eyes.”

He looked up at his mischievous wife.

“Is that so, Miss Snow?”

She looked at him with fondness in her eyes.

“Yes. That is so, Mister Snow.”

He chuckled at her before a dark look came over his face. Jon reached up towards his head as he removed his hat to expose his bounded dark curls.

He could feel Daenerys squirm in his lap as she looked at him with slight confusion.

“Isn’t that a daisy?” He said with a deep and darkened voice.

“Jon?”

Faster than she could comprehend, he grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled back on it roughly. He made sure as to grab near the base of her scalp, as he knew that’s where she liked it grabbed best. She still gave a small cry as he pulled her head back, exposing her neck to his lips but there was no indication of great pain on her face.

Jon brought his face down to her throat, and gently grazed his lips to allow his beard to scruff her slightly. Her small shudders and mewls spurred him on to pucker his lips to leave small wet kisses up and down her throat. Up to her chin and down to her collarbone.

“J-just no biting.”

He looked at up at her with “confused” eyes.

“What’s that darlin’? You want me to bite you?”

Her eyes widened.

“No!”

“Like this?” He interrupted with a rogue smirk.

He positioned himself to lightly gnaw on her jawline, dragging his tongue over her pale and milky flesh.

The hand that she had used to caress his cheek had now flown to the back of his neck to grasp firmly. Jon released his “bite” and moved down to her neck. He lightly pinched her skin between his teeth, causing a light yelp, before trailing further down to her collarbone.

“Or like this?”

Jon gnawed on her collar with a little more force than he did on her chin, which garnered rapid breaths and whimpers from her mouth. Jon trailed his lips down and to her valley when Daenerys snapped out of her fervor.

“Wait. I thought you said that Samwell told you we couldn’t have sex while I was pregnant?”

Jon stopped between her valley as a smirk appeared on his face.

“You’re right darlin’, he did say that. My apologies.”

He lightly pushed her off his lap and next to him as he stood up.

“Plus” he continued, “I’ve got to clean these.”

He patted the guns that were holstered on his hip. Daenerys’ eyes widened as she grabbed his arm in desperation.

“Wait! We don’t need to have sex. You can just kiss and love my body with that mouth of yours. I’m sure that’s all right.”

Jon looked at her with mock surprise.

“Miss Snow! What would the camp say if they heard a sweet angel such as yourself talkin’ that way? It just ain’t proper.”

“Jon” she said with desperate eyes. Jon could barely make out tears pooling at her corners and it was almost enough to break his resolve and give her what she wanted. Almost.

“Sorry darlin’, but I’m sure Sam and his wife, Gilly, are just about done cookin’ up whatever rations we had along with the fish that the gang should have caught by now.”

She turned away from him as she dramatically threw herself on her side and grabbed a pillow to hold.

“Fine, Jon Snow! Go clean those stupid pistols of yours!”

She began to sob into the pillow but Jon only smiled at her. She had used that tactic many times while they were together. He was determined not to be fooled this time. Jon grabbed his hat from the ground and made his way towards the flap of their tent before turning to his wife and tapping his guns.

“They’re revolvers, darlin’”

He made his way quickly out of the tent as he heard a low growl that most definitely meant that his wife was _not_ crying.

Jon clapped his hands as he snickered, making his way towards the brook of the pass to spend some time by himself. It wasn’t meant to be as Davos caught him walking towards that direction.

“You got a minute Jon?”

Jon looked towards the greying man that approached him. Jon never attached himself with any member of a gang, not since what had happened with his first group. With Arya, he made it clear to her. They were there to use them to survive and get the hell out. With Daenerys being pregnant, that wasn’t possible. Jon knew that this was the group he had to stay with. And after months on the road with them, he found that they weren’t all that bad. They were all outcasts, like him.

Samwell’s father, a hunter, was disappointed in him. So, he left his house and married a common girl. They had a son, Sam Jr. and they ended up tagging along with a group of outlaws before parting with that group in Blackwater. Gendry’s story was already known. Missandei and Grey, two former slaves on the run from Essos. They came here, where every man was free to start their new lives. Except that Westeros didn’t take too kindly to foreigners, so they had to fight for their survival. They had a little girl, but Jon didn’t bother spending too much time around her. He never really got along with the two, even if his wife was fond of both of them. Of course, there was his little sister who was now smitten with that bullhead, Gendry. Brienne couldn’t find any suitors due to her massive size and instead took to shooting. She left home to make her own way and ended up in Blackwater. Tormund was the only member to meet up with them after Blackwater. It was tense at first, given that Tormund’s gang used to beef with Jon’s original. The group didn’t know that though. Then there was Davos Seaworth. A fisherman from the Stormlands. Business wasn’t going so well so he set off with his oldest boys to be outlaws and make some cash in the world. They were tired of the poverty and society working against them. So, they decided to steal from society. Didn’t work out so well. Davos lost all his oldest boys in Blackwater. Still, Davos was one of the few people within the group that Jon respected from the get go. He could work and he worked well. He kept the morale of the group in check and dissuaded any fights from happening. If he hadn’t been there, Jon was sure either one of him or Tormund would be dead.

“Sure, old man. What’s on your mind?”

Davos looked at him with warm eyes before motioning with his head towards the brook.

“Walk with me.”

And he did.

Jon and Davos walked in silence until they reached the flowing water. Both men set against a wall of the mountain as they stared up at the moonlit sky.

“What’s your story, Jon?”

Jon looked over at his friend.

“What do you mean?”

“What’s your story? How’d you get here. How’d an educated boy like you and his sister end up runnin’ from the law with a pregnant wife of high status?”

Jon only sat in silence but Davos pulled out a bottle and two glasses.

“You drink bourbon?”

Jon only huffed a laugh as he looked away. He looked back into Davos’ eyes as he nodded.

“So” Davos poured “I tried askin’ that sister of yours, but she kept her mouth tighter than one of those banks in Braavos. Might as well ask if straight from the source, thas all.”

Jon laughed as he took a glass. He decided to down it before looking out towards the flowing water.

“I guess this day had to come sooner or later. And seeing as I don’t see myself leaving anytime soon, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to come clean.”

Davos looked at him with curious eyes.

“I was born to Eddard Stark. I’m a bastard. Never knew my momma. My daddy took me in after I was born and that just didn’t sit right with that wife of his. She was mean piece of work. Always made sure I knew I didn’t belong. Told me to be grateful that I wasn’t living in the mud like I should be with my whore of a mother. My sister? She ain’t a Snow. Not like me. She’s the real deal. A Stark, through and through. But she joined up with me when I left at 19. But that wasn’t the first time I left. No, I left at 17. Joined up with a gang called “The Crows”. You prolly heard of em.”

Davos’ eyes widened before he nodded. He filled Jon’s empty glass to the brim.

“That’s mainly the reason I didn’t take too kindly to Tormund. And Tormund didn’t take too kindly to me. See, he was part of the “Wildling” gang. Our two gangs never liked each other.”

Davos nodded in understanding.

“I wanted to go straight. I did. I couldn’t live with that life anymore, but… I guess when you kill a man there ain’t no going back. I told them I wasn’t willin’ to ride with them no more and they didn’t like that. I told them I’d do one last job for them and they agreed. Ended up getting shot but they left me for dead. They left me back there, and I got up and left them. After my sister joined up with me, we jumped from gang to gang. Didn’t cozy myself up neither. Not after what my first brothers did. Then I met a fella outside Castamere. A fella you prolly heard of. Rattlesnake Jake.”

Davos choked on his drink as he looked at Jon.

“You knew Rattlesnake Jake?”

Jon could almost see a hint of anger in Davos’ eyes but chose to ignore it.

“Yessir. Knew him. And ran with him.”

He missed the way Davos’ eyes narrowed at him as his hand edged towards his pistol.

“You shoulda seen him. There ain’t nobody in this world that’s faster than Jake. I once saw him gun down three Frey boys while he took a swig from his whiskey. Straight out the bottle. I thought he must be some demon sent to wreak havoc on Earth. That was…until before Blackwater. We made it all the way, just a few miles out of the town when we came up on this feller with his whole gang. Some Dothraki gunner from the east. Called himself Khal Drogo. We heard about him as we travelled. Apparently, he was a ruthless son-of-a-bitch that killed anyone in his way. Rode up on Jake with his two friends. Can’t remember what he called them. Blood brothers or somethin’ like those lines. I thought Jake was in for it. I knew his gun was faulty. It didn’t shoot automatically and need some force on the hammer. I never seen anyone kill three people that fast. Not just fast, but precise. Each of em took one bullet between their eyes. We rode up on the rest of Drogo’s “horde” and gunned them down mercilessly. That’s when I knew Jake was the devil. I knew right then and there that I couldn’t ride with him no longer. I had to get out.”

Davos’ grip relaxed from his gun.

“Heard about the job he had in mind, rob the Blackwater Bank and run with the money. Was supposed to be a big payroll. My biggest regret was showing myself. I don’t know why he decided to torment me. There were plenty of good gunmen in his gang but Jake took a likin’ to me. Said I could handle myself in the real situation. Hell if I knew what that meant but I wasn’t fixin’ to stay. So, I was lookin’ for another gang and met up with Samwell. He was my ticket out of there even if I thought he had no chance out here being an outlaw. Any group was better than stayin’ with Jake. But I got myself in a little trouble. I met my wife and I knew I shoulda stayed away. I had no right mixin’ myself with someone like her. But I did. And she followed me when I left with y’all. I love her but a part of me always wonders if it was better to have never met her. She should be in a good fancy home with a loving husband. A husband that ain’t worried about being hunted down by a rattler.”

“Jake is hunting you down?”

“Oh yessir. See, Jake thinks it’s my fault that Blackwater went down like it did.”

“Was it?” Davos prodded.

Jon shook his head.

“Nah, I ain’t blab to no one. I was just thinkin’ bout getting outta there. Needless to say, I heard that he was looking for me. And I know why. Not just me, but my sister as well. I know you think I’m too hard on that boy Gendry, but I have every right to be. I know Jake is after her as well and someone like Gendry ain’t goin’ to stop him. And now I got a boy coming along with my wife. I finally have my family and I don’t want them to live in a world where they’re afraid that their daddy ain’t gonna be around no more. I need to do one last job. A good one. Get a lot of money and get away from here. Go to one of the free cities and live with my family.”

Jon took a large swig and downed his bourbon. He noted the silence.

“Think differently of me now, old man?”

Davos simply stared into the water.

“You’re gonna have a son?”

Jon nodded.

“Apparently” he said. “My wife is convinced we’re gonna have ourselves a little boy.”

“I had five boys. Now I only got one.” Davos said softly.

Jon turned to him. He grabbed the bottle from his companion’s hands and poured one last drink for the both of them.

“What happened?”

Davos sat quietly.

“Blackwater happened…”

Jon nodded.

“I’m sorry” Jon responded.

Davos shook his head.

“Don’t be. It ain’t your fault. I suppose it ain’t even Jake’s fault. It’s mine. I brought my boys into that life and now I can’t even see my youngest since my wife wants nothing to do with me. I don’t even know what he liked. I was too busy trying to get money that I completely forgot about the only boy I have left. That make me a bad person Jon?”

Jon looked at him with a blank stare before nodding.

“Yes. You’re a terrible father. But that’s life, ain’t it? Tries to fuck us at any point at any given time.”

They both laughed at Jon’s words. When the laughter finally died, Davos turned to him.

“So. Rattlesnake Jake is after you?”

Jon nodded.

“Is that why you’re always trying to move us quickly?”

He nodded again but spoke this time.

“Yeah. And it’s also why I hate moving north. The closer north we move, the closer I am to Jake. And I don’t want to have to face a man like that. I’m telling you Davos. You don’t want to find yourself slinging against Rattlesnake Jake.”

Davos nodded and stood up as Jon remained seated.

“Snow”

Jon looked up at him.

“When that boy of yours is born. You hold him high.”

Both men stared at one another before Jon tipped his hat and Davos walked off.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Alexa, play Old Town Road by Lil Nas X


End file.
